Machine for sealing bottles.



W. E. LINDSAY.

MACHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES. APPLICATION FILED 11.20, 1909.

1,018,575. Patent ed Feb.27, 1912.

3 SHEETE-SHBET 1.

INVENTOR A TTORNE Y COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH to. WASHINGTON. n. c.

W. E. LINDSAY.

MACHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1909.

1,018,575, Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 21 [N V EN TOR. mam 6W A TTORNE Y.

W. E. LINDSAY.

MAGHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1909.

A TTORNE 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

w/mw

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM EDWARD LINDSAY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, TO THE PERFECT BOTTLE CAP COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MACHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM EDWARD LINDSAY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for SealingBottles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to machines for sealing bottles with metallic caps,the bottles being of the class having a projecting annular rib forming ashoulder beneath the lip of the bottle; and the caps being of the classhaving a crown portion adapted to rest on the bottle lip, and adepending continuous annular flange adapted to be bent into lockingengagement with the aforesaid annular shoulder of the bottle head.

My invention in that class of machines has for its several objects, tominimize and substantially overcome the bottle-crushingtendency ineffecting the locking contact and to compensate for irregularities inthe peripheral contour of the bottle head, and for variations in thelength or height of a series of bottles to be capped.

To these ends my invention consists of cap-setting mechanism comprisingmeans to compensate for variations in the length or height of a seriesof bottles to be capped; means to guidingly support the flange of thecap while being bent; means operating to distribute the radial closingpressure thereon to compensate for irregularities in the contour of thebottle head, and means operating to minimize and substantially overcomethe bottle-crushing tendency in bending the flange, by drawing down theflange to bring its extreme skirt or rim into a plane below the annularshoulder and applying the bending pressure to said rim to force it underthe shoulder. Heretofore sealing caps have been applied to such bottlesin two general ways, in one of which the flange of the cap was initiallycorrugated for a portion of its depth, thereby providing alternatinginner ribs and outer ribs, and the sealing operation was mechanicallyaflected by applying pressure to the several outer ribs of thecorrugation to force the upper ends of the inner ribs thereof under theoverhanging annular shoulder below the lip Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed April 20, 190.9.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912. Serial No. 491,157.

of the bottle. My invented machine operates to effect a locking contactby a method which differs essentially therefrom, and while bestexemplified in applying to such a bottle a specific form and characterof metallic cap, shown herein for illustration, is applicable to settingother forms of metallic sealing caps of ordinary character consisting ofa crown portion wit-h integral annular flange whether corrugated orplain, and of suflicient depth to be bent into locking contact with theannular shoulder of the bottle.

In the drawings illustrating my invention :Figure 1 is a side elevation,partly in section, of the complete machine. Fig.2 isa front elevationpartly in section, of capping head 39 and its actuating mechanism,showing a bottle in position therein ready to be sealed. Fig. 3 is aside elevation partly in section from the left side of the machine, ofthe capping head, the actuating mechanism and part of thespring-controlled plug-actuating rack. Fig. 4 is an elevation of thepreferred form of column shaft. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modifiedform of column shaft. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of amodified form of supporting bracket with bushing for use with themodified form of column shaft shown in Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 arerespectively a plan view, side elevations partly broken away and partlyin section, and under-view, of the metallic cap in its preferred form.Fig. 11 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the capping head,corresponding to Fig. 2, with this difference, that the latter shows thepo sition of the parts at the beginning of the operation of sealing thecap, while Fig. 11 shows the position of the same at the end of theoperation. with the cap sealed on the bottle head. Figs. 12, 13 and 14are respectively a side elevation, a plan view and a detached sectionalview of the sealing tool portion of the capping head. Figs. 15 and 16are end and side elevations of one of the sealing fingers. Figs. 17 and18 are plan and side elevations of the slotted spool which guides thesealing fingers. Figs. 19 and 20 are respectively a plan and sideelevation of the endless annular spiral spring which resiliently holdsthe sealing fingers in normal position in the slotted spool. Fig. 21 isa vertical sectional View of the cap and the head end of the bottle,showing the sealing operation completed with the rim of the flange drawndown over the lip of the bottle and the skirt of the flange drawn underthe annular shoulder of the bottle.

Referring now to said drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an elevation,partly in section, of a bottle-capping machine compris ing, my removablecapping-head indicated at 39 with its supporting bracket 42, thesupporting frame and its contained driving mechanism, including itsbottle-supporting device. The supporting frame consists, speakinggenerally, of a base support 51 for a column 53, wherein is mounted ashaft 40 actuated through appropriate geared shafting, driving wheel 52,and clutch governed by a foot treadle 54. As said supporting frame,including its driving mechanism and bottle-supporting device, as shownin said Fig. 1 are well known in the art, no further description isnecessary, the mode of operation of the machine, as a whole, in cappinga bottle being that the driving mechanism, through the shaft 40, causesthe capping head 39 to descend upon the head of-the bottle 43, (by whicha cap is placed on it) causing a downward resilient movement of thebottle-supporting movable head 46. As shown the bottle supporting head46 is made a fixed element relatively to the barrel 47 by means of a pin47 fixedly connecting said parts, or said head and barrel may be fixedlysecured together in any desired manner.

I will now describe in detail the construction and mode of operation ofmy new capping head; by a reference first to Fig. 3 wherein 42*indicates the recessed bracket arm supporting the capping head on theactuating shaft 40 in the column 53 of the supporting frame. In thetapered recess 16 of said bracket is mounted a tapered bushing 17conforming to the tapered portion 40* of the shaft 40, (Fig. 4), thescrewthreaded end 4O thereof projecting above the top of the bushingwhen the parts are operatively assembled, and secured in place by a capnut 41 (Fig. 1). If however in any machine of the type of frame shown inFig. 1, there should be a cylindrical ended shaft 40 such as shown inFig. 5, then the bushing 16 is to be cylindrical interiorly as shown at18 in Fig. 6 to conform thereto.

Preferably cast with the bracket 42 is one side of the casing 8 of thecapping head, the opposite side or cover-plate being inclicated at 16*;and the latter has a depending and partially circular end, extending tothe plane of the flange on the bracket 42, completing a cylinder whichis internally threaded at 16 to receive the threaded end of the barrel20 wherein is operatively supported the shouldered plunger end 11 of therack 11. This rack extends upward within the casing, its teeth coactingwith pinion 5 on the face of a ratchet-arm 4,

which is mounted on shaft 6 extending transversely through the casingand secured on the outside of the opposite walls thereof by a pair ofnuts 7, 7', whereby it is slightly movable endwise for an adjustmentpurpose to be presently stated. The arm 4 is mounted rotatably uponshaft 6 between the collar 10 and gear 5, (Fig. 3) and it carries upon astud 12 on its outer end a pawl 3 which engages the teeth of the ratchetwheel 2 and is held in contact therewith by a small spring 13. Also uponthe shaft 6 is mounted a friction block 1 fastened to the internal wall8 of the shell by screws 9 and having a .tapered periphery embraced by alike tapered internal surface of the ratchet wheel 2, the ratchet wheelbeing mounted on shaft 6 between collars 10 and 10 Hence a slightmovement of the ratchet wheel parallel to its axis to or from thefriction block will increase or decrease the frictional resistance, andhence is made adjustable on the shaft 6 as before" stated. Theadjustment referred to is effected to increase the resistance mentionedby loosening nut 7 and tightening the nut 7, and the reverse to lessenthe resistance.

Motion is communicated to the ratchet 2, through its pinion 5 by meansof the rack 11, the lower end of which forms a vertically-movableshouldered plunger 11 working in the barrel 20; and the action of themechanism above described is such that when a lifting force is appliedto said plunger carrying the rack, as indicated by the arrow 14 (Fig. 2)its upward movement is resisted by a certain, predetermined and constantforce due to the frictional resistance between the tapered surfaces ofthe friction block and ratchet wheel. hen this constant andpredetermined resistance is exceeded, then the ratchet wheel will turnupon the friction block in the direction of the arrow 15 (Fig. 2),whereupon the rack, carrying with it the pinion 5 and pawl arm 4, willreturn to initial position. lVhen both nuts are tightened against theirseats upon the shell 8 and cover-plate 16*, all variation of position ofthe contacting tapered surfaces of the friction block and ratchet wheelis prevented and the frictional resistance becomes constant and fixed.

The capping head 39 is guided in vertical movement by means of the guiderib 19 mounted on outside of the barrel 20, and working between theleaves or wings of a guiding bracket 19 on the column 53 of thesupporting frame of the machine. Both ribs are obviously detachable tosuit different shapes or dimensions of the guiding bracket 19 on theframe.

Within the barrel 20 of the capping head is contained the sealing orcapping mechanism proper and its actuating members. The latter comprisea sectional plug 24, the

upper end of which is set in a screw ring 24? 011 the base of theactuating plunger 11 before described, and the lower cylindrical end ofwhich is guided in a ring 23. A light spring 25 encircles the upper endof the sectional plug, and is mounted between the rings 24* and 23 andacts upon the latter, keeping it in position upon the ends of thesealing fingers 29. A heavy spring 26 is mounted between the shoulderand flange of the plunger 11 and the top of the flanged rings 22 and 21and serves to exert the initial sealing pressure before the sealingfingers 29 are brought in contact with the conical end of the sectionalplug 24. Within the flanged sleeve or ring 21 the sealing fingers 29 aremounted. These are shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a plurality of them beingarranged together in the slots 29 of a spool 29 constructed as shown inFigs. 17 and 1S, and they are encircled by a spiral spring 38 (Figs. 19and 20) as indicated in Fig. i l. The series of sealing fingers 29 areseated at their lower ends in a bearing ring 31 the inner surface orseat of which is curved to conform to the shape of the lower end of thesealing fingers, and cause said fingers to rock about a point as acenter, and at same time permit a slight downward movel'nent of them.

The bearing ring 31 is screwed into the open end of the flanged ring orcasing 21 which, as shown in elevation, plan View and section in Figs.12, 13 and 1a, ineloses the guide spool, the sealing fingers, theencircling spring and the bearing therefor, and the aforesaid curvedface bearing ring for the lower ends of the rocking sealingfingers. Thecollapsible plug 24: in its downward movement enters the central opening29 in the spool 29 and rocks the fingers 29 inwardly, in a sealingdirection, the upward movement of the plug 24;, plus the withdrawal ofthe sealed bottle head operating to cause a return of the sealingfingers to initial position. The plug as which operates the sealingfingers 29 is constructed in sections as shown to provide forirregularities in the contour of the periphery of the bottle head whichin some instances ap proximate an ellipse or pear shape. Using anactuating plug so sectionally constructed,

when the ends of any sealing fingers are tions of the periphery of thebottle head.

This variation in the contour of the bottle is, relatively, very slightbut is frequently sufl'icient, with some capping machines, to preventmaking an effective seal if the pressure be applied circumferentiallyand evenly in a true circle, but in my device described, the sectionalactuating plug for the sealing lingers automatically adjusts itself tosuch irregularities in the manner stated.

Upon the extreme lower end of the barrel 20 is screwed a ring with anannular flaring.

lip 27 (see Fig. 2) which serves the double purpose of guiding thebottle to the sealing lingers supported by the bearing ring 31, and alsoof firmly supporting the latter and the adjunctive moving parts, inproper operative relation.

The form of cap I prefer to use is shown detached in Figs. 7 to 10, andalso in position on the bottle in the former showing the cap in positionto be sealed and the latter showing it in sealed condition. The machineis adapted to seal upon a bottle having an annular rib below the lip, ametallic cap having a depending annular flange, by bending the skirt orrim of the flange to force indented ribs on or near the said rim underthe annular rib of the bottle head. The form of cap shown has a flaringrim on the flange and the sealing mechanism shown is capable of not onlyforcing inwardly a series of indented ribs, previously formed in the capflange, but of also forming such ribs as well, simultaneously with thebending of the flange rim.

An obvious change in the proportion and contour of the sealing fingersand of the bearing ring therefor, to conform to the particular initialform of the cap to be sealed upon the bottle is all that is necessary towiden the range of use of my sealing device to comprehend most metalliccaps of the general character stated.

The operation of the machine is as follows :Referr1ng to Fig. 2 thesealing mechanism is shown in initial position, with the cap on thebottle head, ready to be sealed thereon, and the bottle resting on thesupport 46 (Fig. 1) and brought into initial contactwith the mouth ofthe capping head of the machine. The firstmovement of the combinedmechanism is a downward movement of the capping head, as a whole, whichoperates to carry upward the movable sealing mechanism within thebarrel; though the opposite bottle support and capping head may beprovided with means to effect this contact by a reverse movement ofthose elements, that is to say by a lifting of the bottle support, as asubstitute for the first movement, but which however I do not deem thebest method. As the capping head continues to move downward the sealingfingers and their direct-actuating and adjunctive parts before describedare carried upward within the barrel, being so moved by contact with thetop of the bottle and the cap therein, thus compressing the large spiralspring, until the bearing edges of the sealing fingers are brought intocontact with the conical surface of the sect-ional actuating plug. Theresult of this action of the parts, to compress the large spiral spring,is to apply the preliminary sealing pressure on the crown of the capbringing its paper lining or the compressible sealing disk therein intoa sealing contact so-called, with the lip of the bottle, and this is notonly a predetermined pressure to adapt the machine to seal bot-- tles ofvarying lengths, effected by adjustment of the friction device beforedescribed controlling the vertical reciprocation of the rack, and ismaintained, unimpaired, throughout the remainder of the sealing process;but it is preliminary to and distinct from the further movementdownwardly of the capping head, the adjustment aforesaid being such thatwhen said sealing contact of the crown is eflected the flange of the capis in such position relatively to the annular rib on the bottle that thecontinued and fur ther downward movement of the capping head andconsequent rocking movement of the sealing fingers is such as to causethe latter to open outwardly at their upper ends by the entrance, intothe opening of their supporting spool, of the conical end of thesectional plug and a consequent closing inward of the points of saidfingers at their lower ends, upon the skirt of the flange of the cap,each finger making an indentation therein forming an indented point orrib which projects under the annular rib of the bottle, thus forming alocking contact socalled, of the cap with the bottle head, as shown inFig. 11, and completes the sealing operation. The reverse movement ofthe parts effects a withdrawal of the sealing fingers from said lockingposition and restores them and their adjuncts to initial position shownin Fig. 2, when the capped bottle is readily removed from the machine,which is then ready for the operation to be repeated on another bottle.It is obvious however that the form or contour of the sealing fingers,and the relative proportion of the adjunctive parts, may be such as tocause the rim of the cap flange to be merely bent or tucked under theannular rib on the bottle; and also it will be observed that the sealingpressure which effects this part of the operations is exerted over theentire surface of the curved bottle lip, hence not only making a sealingcontact at the mouth edge of the lip but over the entire curved surfaceof the lip down to the annular rib at the base of the same. It isfurther to be observed that the spring-governed guiding ring 23 restsupon the upper ends of the sealing fingers, holding the latter inoperative position under their sealing movement. The sealing fingershaving curved surfaces seating in a corresponding curved bearing in thebearing ring 31, have a tendency to rotate about a point on their outerfaces as a center, with a slight downward movement, the effect of whichis to draw on the metal on the crown of the cap, radially, outward toits circumferential edge, and lessening its area by causing it toconform to the curved shape of the lip of the bottle, and this change ofconformation of.the cap crown, in the sealing process, tends to increasethe resistance of the sealed cap to displacement on the bottle head byforce of gases emanating fro-1n the contents of the bottle.

It is further to be observed that when adjusting the machine to suitbottles of varying lengths, it is effected by regulating the height ofthe supporting platform as a whole by means of screws 49 and 50, seeFig. 1, and the friction device as aforesaid, so that a proper seal willbe made upon the shortest bottle in the lot, the frictional resistancebeing adjusted to yield at a pressure just sutficient to seat the crownof the cap and bring the skirt of the cap flange into position forlocking contact; hence when a longer bottle is capped the frictionaldevice yields automatically, and prevents an increased force beingexerted on the sealing fingers by allowing all the sealing mechanismwithin the barrel to recede upward toaccord with the increased length ofbottle.

It is finally to be observed that the construction and principle ofoperation of the machine, especially of the elements which directlycontact with the cap over the bottle head, are such that there is verylittle and practicallytno'tendency to crush and break the latter, mainlybecause the closing pressure of the sealing fingers on the skirt of thecap flange is distributed and balanced by its application all around theneck of the bottle and in opposite arcs of the same radial line ofcontact; and this effect is aided by shaping the sealing fingers attheir extreme lower ends to effect a locking contact in a plane slightlybelow the lowest plane of the annular rib on the bottle head and wherethe glass is less liable to be fractured.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a bottle-sealing machine the combination with aseries of sealing fingers, of a slotted holder therefor wherein saidfingers are. adapted to be independently rocked, and a verticallydisposed reciprocating tapering plug, longitudinally divided intoindependently movable sections, said plug being adapted to enter acentral recess in said slotted holder and contact with the upper ends ofsaid sealing fingers to rock them.

2. In a bottle sealing machine the combination with alongitudinally-divided tapering plug, of a series of sealing fingers, inannular arrangement, adapted to be rocked, a slotted holder therefor,and means to cause said tapering plug to enter said holder and rock saidfingers.

3. In a bottle sealing machine the combination with an annular sealingjaw longitud1nal1y-div1ded into a series of independently-movablefingers, adapted to be rocked, a vertically movable holder therefor,resilient means to pivot said fingers intermediate their length in theholder, means to enter said holder and rock said fingers, and guidingmeans for the lower ends of said fingers.

4. In a bottle sealing machine, the combination with a series, inannular arrangement, of independently pivoted sealing fingers, a holdertherefor in which said fingers are adapted to be rocked, means adaptedto enter an aperture in said holder and contact with the upper ends ofsaid fingers to rock them, means to impart a vertical reciprocatingmotion to said holder, and a ring having a curved interior wall withwhich the lower ends of said sealing fingers are guided in their rockingmovement.

5. In a bottle-sealing machine the combination with a series of sealingfingers, in annular arrangement, a slotted holder therefor in which saidfingers are adapted to be rocked, a tapering plug adapted to enter saidholder and contact with the upper ends of said fingers to rock them,means to impart a vertical reciprocating motion to said plug, and a ringhaving a curved interior wall by which the lower ends of said sealingfingers are guided in their rocking movement.

6. In a bottle sealing machine, an annular sectional sealing toolcomprising a series of independently rocking-fingers, a holder therefor,and resilient means to support said fingers in the slotted holder, thecombination therewith of means to guide a bottle head with an unsealedcap thereon to the basal ends of the rocking fingers, and means to rocksaid fingers by outward movement of their upper ends, said meansconsisting of a reciprocating plug longitudinally divided intoindependently movable sections adapted in number and arrangement toindividually rock said sealing fingers and automatically yield inrespect of any of its segmental sections and relatively thereto when thefull rocking movement of any finger in the series corresponding theretoshall be less than normal due to an irregularity in the contour of thebottle head upon which a cap is being sealed.

7. In a bottle sealing machine, comprising a plurality of sealingfingers having curved basal ends and arranged in annular series, avertically-sliding casing therefor, a slotted holder for said fingerswithin the casing, resilient means to support said fingers within theholder and permit a rocking movement thereof, a guiding ring for thelower ends of the fingers adapted to cause them to move inwardly belowtheir pivotal support, and a reciprocating plug composed of a pluralityof actuating sections each operating independently but simultaneously torock its corresponding sealing finger in the series.

8. In a. bottle sealing machine, a capping head comprising a pluralityof sealing fingers, in series, a slotted holder in which they aremounted to have a rocking movement, independently of each other, acontaining casing for said elements, means on the lower end of saidcasing adapted to guide the lower ends of the fingers on their inwardrocking movement, a barrel in which said containing casing is slidinglymounted, guiding means on the lower end of said barrel to direct thebottle head to the seating mechanism, and means verticallyreciprocatingwithin said barrel adapted to rock said sealing fingers bya descending contact with their upper ends.

9. In a bottle sealing machine an annular series of independent sealingfingers, a holder therefor adapted to permit an independent rockingmovement of each finger, means to contact with the upper end of eachsealing finger and effect such rocking movement of each in the same areunder normal conditions, said means comprising a plug longitudinallydivided into independently movable sections adapted to balance theradial pressure applied to the flange of the cap by the sealing fingersas a series to compensate for irregularities in the peripheral contourof the bottle head.

10. In a bottle sealing machine a plurality of sealing fingers, inannular series, a holder therefor, resilient means to support saidfingers therein and to permit their rocking movement, a casing for saidele ments, an inclosing barrel for said casing, the casing, togetherwith its contained elements having movement relative to the barrel,means to restore said parts to normal position, and means operating torock the fingers by contact with their upper ends and fixed means withinsaid casing operating as a guide and an abutment for the lower ends ofthe fingers on their rocking movement to cause them to have a drawingdown action on the metal of the cap crown and portions of the flangeadjacent thereto.

11. In a bottle sealing machine, a supporting frame comprising a fixedbottle support, a vertically reciprocating shaft in said frame, means toactuate said shaft, a capping head comprising an independentlyreciprocating plunger, a spring keeping it normally elevated,cap-bending mechanism actuated by said plunger, and means to adjustablycontrol the descending pressure imparted thereto by the plunger, saidmeans comprising a rack on the upper end of the plunger, a co-actingratchet arm and friction wheel, a shaft on which said wheel is mounted,means to impart an endwise adjust-ing movement thereto on said shaft,and a fixed friction block with which said friction wheel is adapted tobe brought into greater or less resistant contact.

12. Mechanism for bringing the closure and body parts of a containerinto assembled relation with each other comprising a movable pressureassuming member and a slip-friction-grip means normally operative duringthe working thrust of said mechanism, and normally inoperative duringthe reverse thrust of said mechanism, to oppose movement of said memberrelatively to said means, substantially as described.

13. Coacting means, movable. one toward and from the other, for bringingthe closure and body parts of a container into assembled relation toeach other, one of said means comprising a gripped member, a grippingmember gripping the first member, and a pressure-transmitting memberfree to move in one direction relatively to the gripped member andinterlocked with said gripped member against movement relatively theretoin the substantially opposite direction, substantially as described.

14. Coacting means, movable one toward and from the other, for bringingthe closure and body parts of a container into assembled relation toeach other, one of said means comprising a gripped member, a grippingmember gripping the first member, the gripped member being rotary, and apressure transmitting member free to move in one direction relatively tothe gripped member. and interlocked with said gripped member againstmovement relatively thereto in the substantially opposite direction,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 29th dayof March A. D. 1909.

WILLIAM EDWVARD LINDSAY.

Witnesses:

A. M. BIDDLE, R. A. DUNLAP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

